Marcus Rashford transfer agreement emerges as Man Utd icon admits 'time was right'

Manchester United legends Gordon Strachan and Wes Brown remain convinced the club made the correct decision in allowing Marcus Rashford to leave despite his impressive form at Barcelona. Some supporters might understandably feel a pang of regret after watching the forward flourish in Catalonia.

The 28-year-old has contributed to 15 goals in his opening 16 appearances for Barca, reminding the Old Trafford faithful of his capabilities. Furthermore, the reported £28million permanent transfer fee the Blaugrana would need to pay is looking like increasingly excellent value on their part.

However, while certain United supporters may sense they're losing out, both Strachan and Brown maintain the club acted wisely in sanctioning the loan move. The duo pointed to Rashford's recent displays for Thomas Tuchel's England as additional evidence supporting their stance.

"Marcus Rashford was very good for England last week, but I maintain that Manchester United were right to part way with him," Strachan told Esports News. "The time was right for both parties to move on, and it's been proven to have been the right decision.

"Rashford was struggling at United, and it seemed as if he didn't have Ruben Amorim's full confidence; he wasn't getting a lot of game time, but in the minutes that he did play, I think it's fair to say he didn't prove the doubters wrong.

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"I'm glad to see him finding success at Barcelona. Everyone has said all along that he's a talented player - that's never been in doubt. The move has benefitted his career and also allowed United to move forward, rather than be stuck with a dilemma in the dressing room."

Rashford spent the latter half of last campaign on loan at Aston Villa, where he rediscovered his spark after struggling under United manager Amorim. Before that, the club took disciplinary action against him in January 2024 following his absence from training after a night out drinking in Belfast.

A fresh start seems to have done wonders for Rashford, who now resembles the player United once envisaged he'd become. And Brown reckons both sides can feel satisfied with how matters have unfolded.

Speaking to BetWright casino, he said: "Marcus Rashford was always going to do well after moving away from Manchester United. He'd been at the club for so many years and not all those years would have been enjoyable for Marcus, particularly the final couple.

"He got a lot of stick from people towards the end of last season, so I don't blame him for making a change, and I think his departure suited United as well. No one thought that he was going to leave and be shocking, but he just wasn't in the right headspace to perform at United – it wasn't working."

The Treble-winning defender has thrown his weight behind Rashford, predicting he'll have "a great World Cup" next year. After England topped their group with a flawless record, Rashford ended the campaign by setting up Harry Kane in a 2-0 victory over Albania.